This morning I have once again been playing catch up on the computer while giving only a small portion of my attention to the worship music playing in the background. But one small phrase caught my ear and overwhelmed my heart.

I am SO not a poet. I am actually more of a logical thinker which makes it sometimes difficult for me to put into words the explosions of love and gratefulness bursting inside of my heart for my Lord and Saviour. Thankfully, God has gifted others to write beautiful worship songs which enable me to express my heart to Him.

In my busyness, I almost missed this thought that has now opened my mind to a new way of viewing who I am or maybe I should say Who’s I am. “take His Name” is all that I can remember from the last hour of music playing. But my thoughts have immediately shifted to my single years.

My maiden name bares much shame. My father was extremely abusive to my Mom in many ways. I spent the first 18 years of my life in fear and shame for all of the sexual abuse my ,suppose to be protector, inflicted on me. Not only could I NOT wait to get out of there, but even after I became a Christian I longed for a new name. I wanted to put my past in the past once and for all. I had even considered taking my beloved step fathers name, but knew that my time would come soon enough. And my patience paid off.

When I was 25 I became Mrs. Rebecca Gates and breathed a sigh of relief. The new Gates legacy began with my godly father in law. He is a man of prayer, mercy, integrity and faith. My husband has followed in his fathers footsteps. He honors me with his eyes and his affections and respect. I have taken on my husbands name and, in many ways, his identity.

And then I thought, “yes Lord, I do want Your name”. The idea of being called a Christian and finding my identity in him was not foreign to me. I’ve heard it preached my whole life. But the passion I have felt as I now imagine myself a bride standing before an awesome God is stirring change in my thinking. I picture myself as I was at 17 years old when I asked Jesus to take me as I was with nothing to offer, but shame, a young woman labeled dirty and unlovable. My life was hopeless, and yet God proved the world wrong. It was then that He changed my name. And I am forever changing more each day into His image of me. In other words, because of Jesus in me, God sees me as beautiful, wanted, faithful, worthy, godly, and anything else that is pure and good. This is who I am now since I have received His Son. I am so honored to bare His name.